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Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast

Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast

By Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast

Jon Jacob talks to artists, writers, and audience members about classical music and the concert-going experience. Now in its tenth year.
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140: Tenor Nicky Spence and Help Musicians UK CEO James Ainscough

Thoroughly Good Classical Music PodcastSep 27, 2021

00:00
13:15
176: Cellist Tim Posner

176: Cellist Tim Posner

This episode spotlights a new release from cellist Tim Posner. Recorded weeks ago, this episode has I'm sorry to say been subject to all manner of technical challenges. Publication has been delayed as a result. But all good things come to those who wait. And this is GOOD.
Tim Posner's debut album includes music by Bloch, Bruch and Dohnanyi is a case in point. The music speaks for itself (especially the rarely heard Konzertstucke by Dohnanyi) Posner's playing is full bodied, heartfelt and huggable, if you know what I mean. A Thoroughly Good highlight of 2024.
Mar 23, 202424:08
175: Monteverdi Choir's Israel in Egypt

175: Monteverdi Choir's Israel in Egypt

Hailstones, frogs and sexy trills. Monteverdi Choir's director Peter Whelan joins Amy Wood and Nick Pritchard to introduce the detail and the colour in Handel's oratorio Israel in Egypt.

Mar 16, 202428:58
174: On Conducting and Learning to Conduct

174: On Conducting and Learning to Conduct

LPO Principal Concductor Edward Gardner, and LPO Conducting Fellows Charlotte Politi and Luis Castillo-Briceño reflecting on their roles as conductors and the process of developing their conducting presence.

Mar 11, 202418:41
173: Reflections, Recommendations & Previews

173: Reflections, Recommendations & Previews

Lovely people from across the classical music industry share their reflections on the year gone by, and look forward to the year ahead. Hear thoughts and recommendations from violinist Fenella Humphreys, pianist Charles Owen, Roger Wright, London Chamber Orchestra's Jocelyn Lightfoot, Manchester Camerata's Bob Riley and Manchester Collective's Rakhi Singh.

Dec 29, 202345:36
172: Thomas Guthrie and Barokksolistene

172: Thomas Guthrie and Barokksolistene

Schubert's epic and much-revered song cycle Die Schoene Mullerin is given a folksy feel with a new recording released by Rubicon Classics featuring Barokksolistene and Thomas Guthrie (who you'll hear in this podcast episode). If you're pro-deference this one probably isn't for you, but if you're open, curious or in need of a fresh approach then come on in and make yourself comfortable. Find yourself a bale of straw and sit yourself down. It's a treat.

Nov 23, 202319:44
171: Katharine Dain and Sam Armstrong introduce 'Forget This Night'

171: Katharine Dain and Sam Armstrong introduce 'Forget This Night'

Soprano Katharine Dain and pianist Sam Armstrong reflect on the recording of their latest ravishing duo album Forget This Night, featuring the music of Lili Boulanger, Karol Szymanowski, and Grażyna Bacewicz.

Nov 21, 202333:31
170: Ivors Award-Winners John Rutter & Tansy Davies

170: Ivors Award-Winners John Rutter & Tansy Davies

Hear the thoughts and reflections of two Ivor Award-Winning composers - John Rutter and Tansy Davies. Both doing the same thing - writing music. Both creating entirely different work.


At the 2023 Awards at the British Film Institute in London, Tansy Davies received an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Works Collection. John Rutter received the Academy Fellowship - the highest honour the institution awards individuals. Thoroughly Good explored their purpose, what they've learned, what they advise and what they write.


Nov 14, 202320:37
169: Making Callas - Paris, 1958

169: Making Callas - Paris, 1958

Producer and Director Tom Volf explores his fascination with soprano Maria Callas and the work involved restoring her 1958 Paris debut for cinema release.

Nov 10, 202323:35
168: Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht

168: Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht

Violinist Victoria Mullova and cellist Matthew Barley explore Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht.
Nov 03, 202315:29
167: Miloš Karadaglić introduces 'Baroque'

167: Miloš Karadaglić introduces 'Baroque'

Guitarist Miloš Karadaglić reflects on his work producing the new album 'Baroque' released October 2023.

Oct 25, 202319:17
166: Pianist Cordelia Williams introduces Cascade

166: Pianist Cordelia Williams introduces Cascade

Cordelia Williams returns to the Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast to talk about her new album on SOMM 'Cascade', and to reflect on her experiences teaching in Kenya.
Oct 04, 202332:54
165: Pianist Lucy Parham

165: Pianist Lucy Parham

Lucy Parham introduces selected piano works by Sergei Rachmaninoff ahead of her London Piano Festival appearance with actor Tim McInnery. For more information and tickets visit: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/london-piano-festival/

Oct 02, 202337:01
164: Composer Joseph Phibbs

164: Composer Joseph Phibbs

Composer Joseph Phibbs returns to the podcast to introduce two new pieces premiered at Hatfield Chamber Music Festival and Wigmore Hall on 29th October and 7th October.

Sep 29, 202333:02
163: Composer Matthew Taylor

163: Composer Matthew Taylor

Ahead of the world premiere of Matthew Taylor's second horn concerto, Jon Jacob speaks to the composer about his work, his inspiration and the life force of Beethoven.

Sep 06, 202321:14
162: Benedetti's Call To Action

162: Benedetti's Call To Action

Nicola Benedetti announces the new Benedetti Baroque Sessions, a competition to participate in her Baroque orchestra, plus she pops up on Radio 4's Today to talk about what music education needs now.

Aug 22, 202306:33
161: Lost Voices with Prof Leah Broad and Violinist Fenella Humphreys

161: Lost Voices with Prof Leah Broad and Violinist Fenella Humphreys

Dr Leah Broad's book Quartet tells the story of four women composers who have received little or no attention by the classical music world. The lives of Ethyl Smyth, Dorothy Howell, Rebecca Clarke and Doreen Carwithen span the 20th century and yet their music was, until a few years ago, relatively unheard of. Quartet - a substantial history of four women's compositional lives - explains why.

Following publication, Leah Broad and violinist Fenella Humphreys have joined forces with pianist Nicola Eimer, mounting a series of concerts across the country where curious audience members can hear not only the music but selected stories about the women who wrote it.

There were two things apparent from the event I attended - the first in the trio's UK tour in Harrogate earlier in the summer. The carefully selected music works in performance (so much so that the programmed movements played made me want to hear the works in their entirety) AND the briefest of introductions works wonders at focussing the listener, enhancing the experience as a result.

Leah, Fenella and I met up to discuss the book, the concerts and the impact good storytelling has on the concert experience. Lost Voices is at Snape on 9th August, and Milton Court Concert Hall, Barbican on 5 November.

Works included in the Lost Voices programme:



Ethel Smyth Sonata

Doreen Carwithen Sonata

Rebecca Clarke Midsummer Moon 

Rebecca Clarke Sonata Movement 

Dorothy Howell Andante

Dorothy Howell The Moorings


Fenella Humphrey's next album Prism including works by Caroline Shaw, Sarah Lianne Lewis and Cheryl Frances-Hoad is released by Rubicon Classics early 2024.

Aug 07, 202336:48
160: Horn player Felix Klieser

160: Horn player Felix Klieser

Klieser plays the horn with his feet. This seemingly monumental achievement is of comparatively little consequence to Felix who sees himself not as a differently abled artist but as a musician who wants to make the audience happy. 

At a point in time when identity, representation and opportunity are words that rightly weigh heavily in our present-day discourse and thinking, it’s Klieser’s motivation – from the age of 4 – which is counter-intuitively the more powerful message he shares. He is not someone who tells the story of achieving against the odds, but an individual who is content. 


Jul 31, 202325:41
159: The Endz with Flame, Prince and the Multi-Story Orchestra

159: The Endz with Flame, Prince and the Multi-Story Orchestra

The Endz is a production mounted by school children in South London, supported by the Multi Story Orchestra, a radical performance group well-known in the industry for mounting live performances in a former multi story car park (now known as Bold Tendencies) in Peckham.

Since its Proms appearances in 2016 and 2017, the team behind the orchestra led by Kate Whitely has sought out new ways to enhance cultural experiences for the community its made its home in.

But Multi Story’s vision and method feel slightly different from convention when you hear from two of their teenage collaborators Flame and Prince talk about The Endz – a musical setting of a play a group of teenagers created themselves in response to violent crime in their neighbourhood.

The word is collaboration rather than education and outreach. Co-creation too might be a good word. And the other thing that’s important to stress is how Multi Story are helping young creative talent make the music they want to make rather than what the orchestra thinks they ought to be making.

Jul 07, 202221:18
158: Composer and vocalist Laura Bowler about her new opera 'The Blue Woman'
Jun 27, 202229:51
157: Celebrating 50 years of the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme

157: Celebrating 50 years of the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme

This year Aldeburgh Festival celebrates 50 years of the artist development programme - a music-making experience rooted in the Suffolk countryside that has supported many of the world's leading musicians. In this episode, previous participants reflect on their experience attending the Britten-Pears Orchestra and courses at the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies now known as the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme. 

Contributors in order of appearance:

Nicholas Daniel
Jessica Mogridge
Kirsty Matheson
Caroline Clarke
Julia Lawrence
Mark Stone
Jacqui Shave
Jacqueline McCarthy
Patrick McCarthy
Amy Helen Forsdike
Chi-Yu Mo

Jun 06, 202231:14
156: Yaniewicz & Green Square Piano

156: Yaniewicz & Green Square Piano

Josie Dixon the great great great great grandaughter of Polish Lithuanian violinist and composer Felix Yaniewicz explains how a chance discovery unearthed a series of discoveries about the man in her family she knew only from a portrait. https://www.yaniewicz.org/piano.html

May 28, 202228:16
155: Mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston introduces her new album Battle Cry
May 16, 202232:12
154: Composer Tom Coult introduces the new opera 'Violet'
May 11, 202220:36
153: Composer Oliver Davis

153: Composer Oliver Davis

Released on Friday 6 May, 'Air' features a collection composer Oliver Davis' characteristically uplifting writing performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Kerensa Peacock, and Grace Davidson. Jon Jacob speaks to Davis about his dyslexia, his compositional influences, and his commercial writing experience. This podcast was recorded in March 2022 at the Southbank Centre. 

May 01, 202237:08
152: Pianist James Lisney

152: Pianist James Lisney

Episodes with music are only available on Spotify.

Podcast 152 features pianist James Lisney ahead of his concert appearances at the 1901 Arts Club in London from 25 April and later on 12 May at Stoller Hall at Chetham's School of Music. You'll also hear music in full (if you're logged into Spotify) by Britten paraphrased by Ronald Stevenson, plus piano music by Haydn and Scriabin. 

Apr 16, 202238:15
151: The Opera Story's 'Beauty and the Seven Beasts'

151: The Opera Story's 'Beauty and the Seven Beasts'

"Beauty and the Seven Beasts is possibly the most incredible but also the most challenging Opera Story project so far." Opera Story Hamish McKay, soprano Katherine Aitken, Dan de Sousa, and conductor Berrek Dyer talk about this new work combining the librettos and music of eight composers in one chamber opera staged at Brixton Jamm, 6-14 April 2022.

Apr 05, 202211:08
150: Violinist James Ehnes

150: Violinist James Ehnes

On the day James Ehnes was meant to be playing Berg's Violin Concerto with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, we meet on Zoom to discuss intonation, Walton, and being a tourist in London. 

Feb 18, 202221:13
149 Southbank Director of Music Gillian Moore

149 Southbank Director of Music Gillian Moore

How did Gillian Moore's musical upbringing shape her views about the relevance of music in the lives of everyone today? Ahead of her appearance a the Association of British Orchestras conference in Glasgow in February 2022, she reflects on her own experiences and offers some thoughts on what we need to do next to secure music in the lives of future generations. 

Feb 08, 202234:50
148: Baritone Benjamin Appl on Winterreise
Feb 03, 202234:41
147: Ivors Composer Awards 2021

147: Ivors Composer Awards 2021

Jon Jacob speaks to a selection of Ivors Composer Award Winners from 2021 backstage at the ceremony in the British Museum. 

Dec 12, 202127:28
146: Clarinettist Barnaby Robson

146: Clarinettist Barnaby Robson

Clarinettist Barnaby Robson discusses his latest release on Orchid Classics. 

Dec 06, 202122:36
145: Royal Overseas League Gold Medal 2021 Preview
Nov 21, 202120:12
144: Director Daisy Evans and conductor Stephen Higgins
Nov 08, 202128:54
143: Composer Electra Perivolaris
Nov 03, 202125:27
142: English Concert Artistic Director Harry Bicket

142: English Concert Artistic Director Harry Bicket

English Concert artistic director Harry Bicket talks about Handel's Samson, the opera Alcina. Bicket also explains the three things others find annoying about him. Lateness is one of them. What are the other three?

Oct 13, 202134:37
142: Recent Discoveries (Oct 2021)

142: Recent Discoveries (Oct 2021)

Episodes with music are only available on Spotify.
Hear some of the 2021 Gramophone Award Winners plus some new musical discoveries made at The Two Moors Festival. Recent Discoveries episodes are exclusively available to Spotify subscribers.
Oct 11, 202153:34
141: Pianist Pavel Kolesnikov

141: Pianist Pavel Kolesnikov

Pianist Pavel Kolesnikov appears at The Two Moors Festival in October 2021 in a programme of Bach's Goldberg Variations. In this podcast he explores identity, the careers he might pursue if he had the time, and 'those shoes'.
Oct 06, 202137:24
140: Tenor Nicky Spence and Help Musicians UK CEO James Ainscough

140: Tenor Nicky Spence and Help Musicians UK CEO James Ainscough

Throughout 2020 and 2021 Help Musicians UK supported creatives impacted by COVID-19 to the tune of £18 million. In this podcast HMUK ambassador Nicky Spence and CEO James Ainscough explain how the 100 year old charity works, how its support has been invaluable, and how it will be vital in the years to come.
Sep 27, 202113:15
139: Tom Poster and Elena Urioste's Jukebox Album

139: Tom Poster and Elena Urioste's Jukebox Album

The Jukebox Album is the soundtrack to the feeling that characterises this period in time we’re slowly coming out of, and perhaps a reminder that we should forget about either. A love letter from two musicians to their audience. A potent reminder of things previously taken for granted. A musical Ground Zero. <br />
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Sep 22, 202108:27
138: Composer Mark-Anthony Turnage

138: Composer Mark-Anthony Turnage

Composer Mark-Anthony Turnage has written a Concertino for clarinettist John Carnac. It will be performed at Music@Malling in Kent in late September by clarinettist John Carnac. Jon Jacob spoke to composer and performer about the work at rehearsals in Birmingham.
Sep 21, 202121:58
137: Horn player Ben Goldscheider

137: Horn player Ben Goldscheider

Ben Goldscheider appeared with members of the Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective at the recent Lammermuir Festival in East Lothian, Scotland. In this conversation he discusses horn player Dennis Brain, plus works by Oliver Knussen and Ruth Gipps.
Sep 20, 202123:28
136: Grace Davidson & Christian Forshaw

136: Grace Davidson & Christian Forshaw

Grace Davidson and Christian Forshaw's new album Historical Fiction blends Baroque and Renaissance in a contemporary setting. Produced by Forshaw during the pandemic, it develops fragments of melody into a musical framework, creating a soundtrack for a royal occasion. The album is released on 17 September 2021.
Sep 15, 202144:05
135: Odaline de la Martinez
Sep 13, 202132:31
134: Violinist Gil Shaham

134: Violinist Gil Shaham

Gil Shaham is one of a handful of performers who can switch between the character in the music and the personality of the performer mid-performance. Nothing is compromised as was witnessed at the InClassica International Music Festival in Dubai 2021. How does he manage to look so bright and perky on stage? And does it stop when he walks off the stage?
Sep 09, 202136:37
133: Clarinettist Andreas Ottensamer

133: Clarinettist Andreas Ottensamer

Sep 07, 202136:52
132: Paul and Barney Smith from VOCES8 and Live from London

132: Paul and Barney Smith from VOCES8 and Live from London

Live from London boasts a viewing audience in 75 countries, with an estimated global reach of 4.5million. The series has raised more than £1 million for artists and arts organisations around the world. The latest series includes performances of Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Chineke!, and VOCES8 amongst a great many others.

It would be easy to tell that story starting with when the pandemic hit. But, like a lot of organisations who have created success when live music was impacted, Live from London's roots going further back. As you'll hear from brothers Barney and Paul Smith who run VOCES8 and set up Live from London. Five years of digital audience development is what was necessary, also building digital content where visiting artists are partners in a creative project rather than guests of an organisation. The distinction is important, as you'll hear.

Discover more on the Live from London website
Aug 13, 202140:39
131: Composer Joseph Phibbs on Benjamin Britten's 'Our Hunting Fathers'

131: Composer Joseph Phibbs on Benjamin Britten's 'Our Hunting Fathers'

Joseph Phibbs arrangement of Benjamin Britten's first work Our Hunting Fathers features in Snape Malting's August season of concerts. In this podcast Phibbs talks about his work on the arrangement, and Phibbs' own clarinet concerto. A new cello sonata by Joseph Phibbs will be premiered by Tom Poster and Guy Johnston on 29 September at the Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival.
Aug 11, 202143:28
130: Composer Lillie Harris

130: Composer Lillie Harris

Jul 18, 202136:06
129: Music in Care Homes

129: Music in Care Homes

Live Music Now is one of the UK’s biggest musical charities working specifically within the health and wellbeing arena, delivering inspirational musical moments. Jon Jacob visited the Priscilla Wakefield House in North London where folk singer Zoe Wren entertained dementia home residents one warm afternoon in late June 2021.
Jul 16, 202119:55
128: Violinist Francisco Fullana
Jul 01, 202128:51